A New Offering
by IrethAnwarunya
Summary: What will Jareth do when he finds that his beloved Sarah is engaged to another man ten years after she defeats his Labyrinth? What will Sarah do when the Goblin King keeps interrupting her life? Sorry! I'm terrible at summaries! I promise it's good thoug
1. A New Life for Sarah

A/N: Hello! This is my first fanfiction ever, so please be kind in when you review. I hope you all enjoy. ~ IrethAnwarunya (This story is dedicated to Mythers, who got me addicted to this website and also stirred up my imagination and passion for writing again. Love ya Babe!!)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with LABYRINTH or the world contained therein. Daran, however, is mine for he is modeled after one of my very dear friends.  
  
Chapter 1 Sarah had thought that she had gotten past all of her little girl fictions and fantasies. Sarah thought that her dreams of the Labyrinth were over and she could continue with her life. She could not restrain herself from bitterly thinking that Jareth was probably placing the long forgotten dreams into her subconscious as a way to distract her from the happiness she craved and was so near to achieving. Sarah knew in the back of her mind that the eyes of the Goblin King were always upon her, whether he gazed intently into a crystal as he sat in his palace surrounded by a throng of his subjects or he chose to observe her movements from the solitude of his favored form of an ordinary barn owl. Every night for the past three weeks, hazy dreams haunted her sleep and kept her from rest. Each night, Sarah saw herself in Jareth's arms, dressed in the elegant gown that she had worn as they had twirled around in the fog of the crystal he had created for her during her drug induced hallucination after she ate that damned peach. She would abruptly awaken to a darkened room with nothing but the sound of her fiancé's deep breathing beside her as he slumbered. Many times, Sarah would nestle into the fold of Daran's arms and try to return to her sleep, but a ghostly tune would seem to echo through the small apartment. Unbidden, the melody would tumble from her lips and she could hear Jareth's glorious voice accompany her own.  
  
As the pain sweeps through Makes no sense for you Every thrill is gone Wasn't too much fun at all But I'll be there for you As the world falls down.  
  
These beautiful lyrics were always trailed by a heart-wrenching "Sarah, my love" or some other endearment. Now, a mere two weeks before her wedding, Sarah found herself furious with his Majesty for interrupting her happiness. Jareth had once offered her all of her dreams and anything else her heart could ever desire and in truth, he had been generous. Sarah knew that he had reordered time for her and would have done anything else she had requested of him, but she could not accept his conditions. She could not subject herself to the submissiveness he required and could not deny herself the right to be her own person. So, she had denied him. What infuriated her the most was the fact that many times she had pondered her decision and wondered if someday she could change her mind. After all, she had only been a child when Jareth had brought forth his proposition and she had not known her own mind or her heart back then.  
  
Stubbornly, Sarah would force these musings out of her mind and would turn her attention back to the details of her spectacular wedding that was looming closer everyday. She would go about her day with a lofty smile on her face, daydreaming about the life she and Daran would have once they were married. Sarah longed for an ordinary life devoid of any form of fantasy or fairy tale magic. She found her desires in Daran, a man who provided her with all of the stability and love she ever needed. As she toyed with the beautiful diamond engagement ring on her moonlight pale hand, Sarah knew she was going to be happy with Daran. When she let her mind wander into the future, she imagined a couple of raven hued curly haired children with eyes as blue as the ice blue of Daran's eyes. Sarah felt her pulse quicken at the thought of him and her lofty smile changed to an all out ear-to-ear grin. "I'm going to be happy," she thought to herself.  
  
******* "Happy? Happy?" Jareth repeated Sarah's innermost thought. "She thinks she'll be happy with him?" he said angrily and hurled the crystal he had been peering into straight at the wall where it shattered into a million tiny slivers. "Bring me that ugly little dwarf...um, what's his name? Hogwart or something...Get him here now," Jareth demanded of the closest goblin and shoved him out of the door. He continued to pace around his throne room, ranting all the while until Hoggle was brought before him. "Heggle, I want you to go Aboveground. You have to convince her not to marry that mortal,"  
  
"Your Majesty, Sarah does not call Hoggle anymore. Sarah has not called Hoggle for a very long time. Sarah wants nothing to do with the Labyrinth or his Majesty," Hoggle told the irate King of the Goblins.  
  
"I don't care!! Sarah will return to me!!" Jareth exclaimed. "She has to. Not having her near is agony," he whispered to himself.  
  
"B-b-but..." Hoggle stammered.  
  
"NOW! Do everything you have to do to make her realize she doesn't belong with him. Leave this instant!" the Goblin King ordered. As Hoggle vanished and made his ascent from the Underground, he knew that his mission was futile. Sarah had denied Jareth before and she would do so again. Hoggle sighed resolutely as he reappeared in the small apartment Sarah called home. 


	2. The Fairy Tale Returns

Chapter 2 Sarah heard the noise from her bedroom and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She rose from her kitchen table and very slowly and quietly, she crept to her bedroom door. She flung the door open and saw a very surprised Hoggle standing before her. "Hoggle! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed.  
  
"His m-m-Majesty sent me here Sarah," Hoggle told her and he saw the anger flash in her eyes. "He did? What does he want?" she demanded of her old friend.  
  
"Jareth doesn't want you to marry the mortal Sarah. He has always hoped that someday you would ask him to bring you back to the Underground,"  
  
"Back to the Underground? To be his slave and let him have dominion over me?" she said incredulously. It was almost laughable to think that after all of these years the Goblin King was still arrogant enough to think that she would return to be his slave.  
  
"Jareth cares for you Sarah. He has loved you and watched over you all of this time," Hoggle stated simply.  
  
Just then, Sarah heard the front door open. "Sarah? Are you home?" Daran yelled. "I'll be out in a minute," she called in response, fervently hoping that Daran would not come into the bedroom. "Go back Hoggle. Tell his Majesty that I want nothing to do with him, his Labyrinth, or the Underground. I'm finished with it all! I want to live my life with the man that I love. I want to be happy Hoggle. Make him understand that." With those words, Sarah left her bedroom to greet her fiancee "Were you talking to someone?" Daran asked as she appeared in the kitchen. "Just talking to myself," she replied and kissed him passionately.  
  
Hoggle watched Sarah shower affection on the mortal that she loved. With a shudder, Hoggle descended to the Underground. He knew Jareth had watched the exchange and Hoggle feared his wrath. Hoggle admitted to himself that he would love to have Sarah at the castle beyond the Goblin City where she would be with him and Ludo and Sir Didymus. But he wished his only friend nothing but happiness and if her happiness required her to live a mortal life, he would accept it. He only wished that Jareth could be that understanding.  
  
*****  
  
"Why didn't you convince her?!" the King of the Goblins demanded the very instant Hoggle reappeared. "I tried your Majesty, but she would not listen," Hoggle answered.  
  
"You could have tried harder!" Jareth cried and kicked a goblin that happened to be in his way all the way across the throne room. After a moment, Jareth regained his composure and said ominously, "Very well. I'll do something myself," and exited the room, leaving Hoggle afraid of what drastic measures Jareth would attempt, only to find himself rejected again.  
  
*****  
  
That evening, Sarah found herself alone in her tiny apartment when Daran had been called away to handle an emergency at work. She flipped through the channels on her small television aimlessly with no real desire to watch any of the programs. After turning the set off, she decided she was hungry and she marched into her kitchen and began rummaging through her cabinets. She opened the refrigerator after finding nothing appetizing in amongst her other groceries and found a beautiful, perfect peach sitting solitary on the top shelf. Despite the warning in her mind and the feeling of revulsion toward the fruit, she could not stop herself from picking it up. She slowly brought the peach to her lips and bit into it's soft, sweet flesh. A strange and familiar taste flooded her mouth and the room began dancing.  
  
Many images flashed before her eyes and familiar words echoed in her ears. She saw herself whirling around inside the crystal with the Goblin King, dancing amongst his masked subjects with that accursed song pouring from Jareth's lips. The music ended with a ghostly echo wafting through the bubble and as Jareth stopped their dance, Sarah noticed that they were alone. Even though they had stopped, Jareth still held her close to him. Sarah's mind was screaming at her to run away, but she found herself locked into her stasis, unable to move. She would not look at him and Jareth gently lifted her chin so that their eyes met. Jareth stared deeply into her eyes, letting all the love and emotion he felt for her flow into his stare. Without thinking, he reached out and tenderly touched her cheek and for a moment, her eyes that had been as hard as agates softened and he felt her defensiveness momentarily crumble.  
  
"This can't be happening," Sarah whispered. "Why do you persist in sending me reminders of things I want to forget?" she demanded, "Why must you force me to remember?"  
  
"So that you will understand that I love you, my little Sarah," he told her softly.  
  
"Please, don't do this Jareth," she requested of him, tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
"Don't do what, my love?" "Don't tell me these things. I'm going to be married in a few days. Please, just let me be happy," she begged. "I won't let you go Sarah," Jareth said vehemently. Sarah found her ability to move again and she took a few steps away from his Majesty.  
  
"Sarah..." Sarah knew how she could escape this place and very calmly, just as she had done so many years before, she picked up an empty chair.  
  
"Sarah, don't," Jareth called out to her. Not heeding his words, she resolutely smashed the delicate wall of the crystal. Immediately, she felt herself falling through the darkness and the void. She locked eyes with the Goblin King as she saw the dejected look they contained, she felt guilty. She allowed her tears to fall freely as she was returned to the couch in her tiny living room and she rapidly fell into a dreamless slumber. 


	3. The Wedding Day Arrives

Chapter 3 "Sarah sweetie, what's wrong?" Daran asked his sable haired fiancé when he saw the tears on her face. He knelt down on the floor in front of the couch and placed his hands on her knees.  
  
"Nothing Daran. It was just a bad dream," she told him. Daran looked into her gorgeous eyes as he brushed the warm dampness from her cheeks "Sarah, you can't lie to me. Your eyes give you away. What's wrong sweetheart?" he implored. She exhaled shakily and told him the story about her adventure into the Labyrinth but was careful to describe it as a dream. "I just remember being so afraid for Toby and feeling so guilty for what I had done. I thought that I would never see him again and it would all be my fault," she finished.  
  
"Honey, that was ten years ago. You were fifteen years old and it was just a dream. There is no need to let it upset you so. You're probably just worried that Toby and your dad and your step-mom won't make it to the wedding and you're dreaming this dream about Toby disappearing," he tried to mollify her fears.  
  
"You're right. I'm just worried about the wedding and my family arriving. Everything will be okay," she said, more for Daran's benefit than her own. He leaned forward and kissed her affectionately. "Everything will be fine babe," he assured her, "You just lie there and I'll get you a damp cloth to wash your face." As Sarah watched him retreat to the rear of the apartment, she sighed. Deep down, Sarah knew that the king of the Goblins would have some other trick up his sleeve.  
  
***** Wedding Day *****  
  
The day had finally arrived. Sarah was getting married today. She had risen early that morning to watch a magnificent golden sunrise and to reflect on what the day had in store. With a giddy excitement, Sarah had showered and prepared for her wedding that was quickly approaching. Soon, Sarah exited her tiny apartment with her dress in hand and made her way to the church. When she arrived, she found her stepmother, Karen, and Toby waiting outside for her.  
  
"Sarah!" the ten-year-old towheaded boy exclaimed and ran toward her, "I haven't seen you in so long!" and he threw his arms around her waist.  
  
"Toby, let Sarah breathe!" Karen told her son and then warmly embraced her stepdaughter. "Your father is keeping Daran occupied at the moment, so let's get you into this dress."  
  
Once Sarah was donned in her pristine white gown and her delicate veil, Karen left to take her seat amongst the few wedding guests leaving Sarah alone. "You look beautiful Sarah," a timid voice spoke up. Sarah quickly glanced up and saw Hoggle's reflection in the mirror. She then whirled around and was astonished to see the dwarf was actually behind her.  
  
"Hoggle! What's going on? Why are you here?" she demanded.  
  
"It's your wedding day Sarah. I thought that it was customary for mortals to have friends at their weddings so I thought that since I was your friend..." he started to explain and his words trailed off. Sarah was too touched to be angry any more, so she knelt down and embraced him warmly.  
  
"Thank you Hoggle," she said simply, "Just make sure you stay out of sight okay? I'd have a terrible time trying to explain you to everyone." Hoggle nodded his agreement just as there was knock at the door. "Sarah, it's time to go sweetie," her father called from the other side. Sarah kissed the top of Hoggle's head and exited the small dressing room to join her father. She and her father exchanged tearful glances, but there were no adequate words to explain the emotions that passed between them. After lovingly kissing her on the cheek, Sarah's father walked his little girl down the aisle.  
  
Sarah stood before Daran, and as she gazed into his pale, sparkling blue eyes, she had never felt happier. As the preacher neared the moment when they would exchange vows, Sarah suddenly heard an all too familiar tune wafting through the beautiful chapel. Her gaze shifted to the rear of the church and she saw the terrified look in Hoggle's eye. Then, to her ultimate horror, she suddenly found herself standing in the throne room of the Goblin King. Jareth lounged on his throne with one leg propped on the arm of the chair and he was negligently rolling a crystal around in his hand. 


	4. The Truth of Sarah's Heart

Chapter 4 A smile crossed the face of the Goblin King but quickly vanished when Sarah cried, "Damn you Jareth! How could you do this to me?"  
  
"Do what my love?" he questioned.  
  
"Bring me to the Underground on my wedding day! The moment I was about to say my vows, you bring me HERE! How am I supposed to explain how I vanished in the middle of my wedding? How am I going to explain this to Daran?" she demanded.  
  
"I stopped time, my darling. You and I are the only ones not affected by my magic. Your precious mortal is ignorant to the fact that you are not standing before him," he explained.  
  
"Why Jareth? Why did you bring me here?" she asked through the burning tears that were falling from her eyes. He tossed the crystal into the air, where it promptly vanished, and he crossed the space between them with a few graceful steps. "To change your mind," he told her simply as he took her in his arms.  
  
"There's nothing to change. I love Daran and I want to be his wife," she said and freed herself from his grasp.  
  
"Sarah, I can give you everything you've ever wanted, everything you've been denied, everything you'll ever dream. I have been generous and lived up to every expectation you have had of me. I ask you, please, to change your expectations and see what is before you,"  
  
"I can't do that Jareth," she refused.  
  
"What power does this mortal have over you?" he asked.  
  
"He holds no power over me. That's what you can't understand. Daran doesn't have to force me or bribe me for me to love him. I love him of my own free will," she explained, "He has no powers and he needs no powers for me to love him."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes," she told him with a hint of defiance. Jareth inwardly smiled at hearing the tone in her voice. Sarah's stubbornness was one of the things he loved most about her, but in this instance he knew her obstinance could try his patience and he moved the conversation forward.  
  
"You're absolutely sure there is no room in your heart for me? Are you certain there is no chance for us to be together?" he questioned plaintively, coming straight to the heart of the issue. "I'm sure," she said a little too quickly. She had not examined her heart to find the answer to his inquiry because she thought there was no need. She loved Daran and she rapidly decided that there was no room left. For a brief moment, her thoughts wavered and Sarah wondered if her words were correct. But, she resolutely set her mind and stood by her choice.  
  
Jareth could tell her thoughts were conflicted and he saw the uncertainty in her eyes. "Your eyes give you away Sarah," Sarah glanced over at the Goblin King when he echoed the very words Daran spoke to her. "You're not sure. You're not sure if there's room for me in your heart because you don't know your heart," he told her and he saw her throw up her defenses.  
  
"You don't know anything about me!" she exclaimed, "How do you presume to know what I feel?"  
  
"I've been watching you for a very long time my love. I know your feelings and I cherish them as dearly as my own,"  
  
Sarah felt her blood rise. "You've been watching me?" She was angry at his admission, but she didn't know why because she had always known that he watched her and she had resigned to that fact. Jareth was becoming fatigued from holding time for so long, so he proposed a solution to hopefully accelerate her decision. He created a crystal out of thin air and closed the gap between them, but Sarah shied away from him.  
  
"Sarah, why do you recoil? I won't hurt you," he said in a pained voice. When she did not reply, he began to explain what the crystal was for. "This crystal will show you anything you desire to know. It will show you what is in your heart if you ask it,"  
  
"How do I know that it will be the truth? How do I know it won't be some concoction of yours?" she asked warily.  
  
"Because, just like mirrors, crystals cannot lie,"  
  
"What about the first time we were in the ballroom? None of that was real; it was just a hallucination. That's not truth," she countered.  
  
"What you saw in the crystal was your truth Sarah. In your mind, my ballroom was exactly the way it should have been. That is all my Labyrinth is Sarah. The appearance of the Underground is directly reflected from what you dream it to be. My world is only as beautiful or ugly as you make it,"  
  
Sarah was taken back by this statement. If the Underground was only what she made it to be, did that mean that Jareth only seemed so frightening because she thought that to be fitting of a ruler of a realm of goblins? Goblins were horrible creatures after all and their king could not be a kind and loving man when he ruled over such detestable monsters. Or could he? Timidly, Sarah reached out and took the crystal with a trembling hand, afraid of what it would show her. "How do I get it to work?" she asked in a quiet, nervous voice.  
  
"Simply ask it to reveal what is in your heart. Ask it to show you how much room you have for me," he illustrated, "But you must be firm and clear with your question. Crystals tend to be a little child-like. If you do not tell it exactly what you want, there is no telling what it will show you."  
  
"Please show me how much room Daran occupies in my heart and show me how much space would be available to Jareth if I were allow him in. Show me how much space Jareth would occupy in my heart," Sarah sent her thought to the cool crystal.  
  
Sarah felt herself pulled into the crystal and she felt she was alone in a vast darkness with no barriers near her. She spied a small ray of golden light at one end of this void and made her way toward it. As she neared the light, she saw Daran's face inside it's warmth. She saw his smile, the sparkle of his twinkling blue eyes, heard his laughter, felt his kindness and his calming influence in the illumination. Suddenly, she was drawn into the darkness again and all traces of the saffron beams quickly faded away. Then, the darkness was overcome by a brilliant silver fire that spread throughout the onyx hollow and consumed all traces of ebony. In this incandescent silver, Jareth's face appeared and Sarah could not believe the comfort and safety she felt emanating from those glorious frosty rays. She felt nothing but raw emotions stirring within herself. She could not believe the intensity, passion, and fervor with which she experienced the emotions of affection and devotion. Abruptly, Sarah was pulled out of the unfathomable space and she could clearly see the two glittering hues side-by-side in the expanse. Sarah was startled to see that the tawny luminosity covered far less than half of the barrenness and that the silver frost blanketed the majority. Then, she was only staring into a pure, clear crystal.  
  
A/N: I KNOW THIS WAS A LONG CHAPTER. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THERE'S PLENTY MORE TO COME LATER, SO I HOPE YOU'LL STICK AROUND. ~ IRETHANWARUNYA 


	5. Jareth's Intentions

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I posted another chapter. I've had Spring Break and tests and registering for classes, etc. I promise not to go so long without posting again. Also, I would like to thank b00kperson, LadyAniviel, Sakura, Twin Kats, and especially Mythers (love ya babe!) for their reviews. ~ IrethAnwarunya  
  
Chapter 5: Jareth's Intentions  
  
Jareth had seen what Sarah had seen. He was ecstatic that Sarah did in fact have so much room for him in her heart, but he was terrified that she would still choose to continue her dismal life that would always fall short of true contentment and love. Sarah stood trembling in silence as Jareth stood next to her, awaiting her words but she did not trust her own voice to speak.  
  
"Find out what you wanted to know my love?" he asked. She nodded her head, but would not meet his gaze for fear that her eyes would betray her emotions and tell what she had seen. Her eyes always gave her away, after all. Thoughts raced through her mind as she desperately groped for an answer. Daran or Jareth? If only she could see how Jareth felt about her. If only she could know if he really cared. As she stretched forth her hand to return the crystal to it's rightful owner, she thought to herself "I WISH I COULD KNOW WHAT WAS IN JARETH'S HEART."  
  
Sarah was once again transported into the shimmering crystal where the familiar silver fire covered everything. This was different though. In the frost, Sarah saw her own face. She was then quickly shown all of the dreams Jareth had had about her for the past ten years. He always dreamed of them together, hand-in-hand with their eyes full of love. She saw his hopes to shower her with delicate, tender caresses and passionate, fiery kisses and she saw that his feelings for her were real. Jareth DID love her. Sarah could feel that his love for her was so strong that he fought with the heartache of her absence everyday. Then, just as quickly as these visions had come, they were gone. Sarah stared into the Goblin King's mismatched eyes and she noticed that they were full of pain and love and longing as he banished the crystal.  
  
"I guess crystals really do show you your dreams," she stated. When he said nothing, she pressed forward. "Jareth, why have you held onto me all this time?" Her voice was thick with emotion when she asked, "Why are you still fighting so hard?"  
  
"A long time ago, when you had fallen into my oubliette, I couldn't believe you had made it so far. Everyone else had given up long before and I expected you to do the same. But I realized you would never give up until you had retrieved what was stolen from you. It is the same with me, my love. When you were fifteen years old, you stole my heart Sarah and I want it back. I'll do whatever it takes to have you near so that I can be near my heart again," he told her in his sincerest words, love dripping from every syllable he spoke.  
  
Sarah could no longer hold back her tears. A few slipped from underneath her long black lashes and slid slowly down her soft milky skin. Jareth reached out with a tentative hand and tenderly brushed them away. Sarah soared at the warmth of his gentle caress and she felt her knees weaken. She noticed for the first time that he was not wearing the black leather gloves that usually covered his long slender fingers.  
  
"What do you want from me Jareth?" she asked, taking his hand in hers.  
  
"Only for you to be with me Sarah. I want nothing more than to have you here in the Underground where you'll be with me all of the time," he stated simply. He was telling her the truth. Jareth could not lie to her anymore than he could watch her marry that mortal.  
  
"None of that whole slave thing anymore?" she questioned.  
  
"Of course not,"  
  
"Would I still be able to see my family? Will I be able to go Aboveground if I decide to stay here with you?"  
  
He smiled and said, "Sarah, remember the night you asked me to take Toby away? Remember this?" Jareth conjured another crystal and Sarah saw her fifteen year old self wearing the red and white stripped stocking cap. "... the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had give her certain powers," she heard herself say. "You've had the power to go between here and the Aboveground all along Sarah. You can come and go as you please," he told her.  
  
"Jareth, do you really love me?" she questioned his Majesty. She knew what the answer to her inquiry would be, but she needed to hear him say the words.  
  
"I love you Sarah. I always have and I always will," he told her and he cupped her chin in his hand, "Now, tell me you love me my dear." Sarah was hesitant and afraid to admit her feelings. She had fought for so long to escape the world of fantasy and fairy tales and now suddenly, she found herself face-to-face with it again. She wasn't sure if she was ready for a make-believe reality, but she could not deny either Jareth or her heart.  
  
"I love you," she conceded and after smiling an ear-to-ear grin, Jareth brought his face nearer to hers. Then, he kissed her gently but with more love and fervent passion than she had ever felt before. He kissed her in a way that left both of them craving air and made her lips burn with a tingling fire.  
  
Suddenly, a terrible thought crossed her mind and she groaned in despair. "What is it my darling?" he asked. "What am I going to do about Daran? How can I just reappear at my wedding and call it off? How will I ever explain this to him?" Sarah inquired despondently. Jareth almost laughed. She had no idea what he could accomplish with his magic. Her problem could easily be solved with no more than a wave of his hand. "Darling Sarah, I can fix this for you. I can make it so that Daran won't remember anything about you or your wedding. I can even make your wedding guests forget about Daran. You would be the only one to remember what really happened," he offered.  
  
"You could do that?" she wondered incredulously. "Of course my dear. I am the Goblin King after all," he replied, "Would you like me to do that for you?"  
  
"Yes Jareth. I would,"  
  
With no more than a smile and a twist of his wrist, Jareth solved the dilemma. Sarah looked around and saw the sunlight streaming down through the beautiful stained glass windows of the chapel and was amazed to discover that she was back in church. Her wedding guests were frozen in their seats, their expressions unchanging. She turned her head and was astounded to see Jareth standing before her in a black tuxedo instead of his normal tight pants and flowing shirt.  
  
"Jareth, what's going on?" she demanded.  
  
"Why should we waste this moment dearest? I thought that we could just get married now,"  
  
"What makes you think I'd marry you right now?" she smiled at his arrogance that had once infuriated her.  
  
"You wouldn't actually refuse me, would you my love?" he asked and gave her a smile that made her weak in the knees.  
  
"I guess not. Very well your Majesty. Let's get married," she told him and after he kissed her, he started time once again.  
  
The minister picked up at the exactly where he had left off when Jareth pulled Sarah from this place hours earlier. Sarah could not listen to his words but could only stare into Jareth's gorgeous mismatched eyes and wonder how it was possible for one person to be so happy. Soon, their love for one another was declared and once the vows were spoken, they exchanged a pair of matching silver rings encrusted with sparkling jewels that had a luminosity all their own and Sarah felt a tingling sensation course through her body as Jareth placed hers on her long delicate finger. Then the moment came. They were pronounced husband and wife. As Jareth's lips met hers for another tender, passionate kiss, Sarah did not even know there were others in the room. It was only her and her Goblin King.  
  
Applause rippled through the chapel as the newlyweds marched toward the rear of the church, arm-in-arm, fingers intertwined, and eyes never leaving the eyes of the other. Only one pair of hands didn't join in the ovation and they belonged to the tawny haired ten-year-old boy that stood in a perplexed silence. Toby's mind was screaming out to him that something was wrong, something was different. He only wished he could figure out what it was.   
  
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter of A NEW OFFERING. There's plenty of more to come so I hope you'll stick around and see this story through to the end. 


	6. Mistrust and Magic

A/N: Hey guys! It's me again. Hope you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you'll like this one too. The story is almost over, but I hope you'll stick around till the end. ~ IrethAnwarunya  
  
Chapter 6: Mistrust and Magic  
  
Toby watched his new brother-in-law warily. There was something about this situation that didn't seem right. He searched his memory but could find no fault in Jareth that would give him the uneasy feeling. He watched his sister laughing gaily with her husband and their few remaining wedding guests as they stood in the backyard of his parents' house enjoying the small reception. Although he was too young to understand, he saw the look that passed between Sarah and Jareth and he thought that it was sickening. "Love. Yuck," he thought to himself. Toby placed the thoughts out of his mind and upon deciding he was still hungry, the ten-year-old went off to find another slice of cake.  
  
*****  
  
"Come with me my love," Jareth whispered to his bride and he gently took her by the wrist and led her through her father's house. Toby saw Jareth leading his sister up the staircase and he took off running toward the couple.  
  
"Sarah! Where are you going?" he questioned.  
  
"I'm going upstairs with Jareth. I'll be back down in a little while," she told him.  
  
"But, I've got something to show you outside," he lied. Toby couldn't understand why, but he suddenly felt the need to protect his sister and he was doing everything he could to keep her safe even though no eminent danger was looming overhead. Jareth smiled, for he understood what Toby was doing. He walked down to the landing where the little boy stood and knelt down to be eye to eye with him.  
  
"You don't trust me right now do you Toby?" he asked. Toby said nothing because he was unsure how to respond to the inquiry. Should he be honest and make Sarah mad at him, or should he lie and let his sister possibly be hurt?  
  
"It's okay Toby, I understand. You love your sister and you don't want me to take her away is that right?" Toby nodded his head in agreement. That was part of it, but he couldn't put his finger on the rest of it.  
  
"Well Toby, I promise you that your sister will be treated like a queen," Jareth assured the boy and Sarah laughed at his bad joke, "Does that help any?" Once again, Toby nodded in the affirmative and Jareth said, "I'll take care of her. I promise." Jareth winked at Toby and once again began leading his wife upstairs. "He's such a lively little chap," Jareth stated to Sarah as he opened a bedroom door for her.  
  
It was only after Jareth had closed the door to Sarah's old bedroom that Toby suddenly realized what had been worrying him about Jareth. Images from nightmares that had plagued him during the earlier years of his childhood resurfaced. Toby remembered horrible creatures slinking out to the darkness and stealing him away. He remembered being surrounded by these monsters as he sat on a cold stone floor, and he vaguely remembered an odd room full of winding, integrating stairs that seemed to lead nowhere. Stairs not unlike the picture that hung on Sarah's bedroom wall. But what he remembered most of all was a pair of mismatched blue eyes and he knew that the owner of those eyes was someone powerful and not to be trifled with. He had forgotten these nightmares long ago but they suddenly returned with stark clarity, such lucidity, that for a moment Toby thought those dreams had been reality. Sarah had told him a story about children being kidnapped by goblins and taken to their Goblin City. She had told him about a horrible maze that was nearly impossible to get out of and she had told him about the Goblin King who possessed a pair of mismatched blue eyes. Was Toby just imagining that Jareth was this Goblin King or could the Goblin King have actually just married his sister? Even though he knew Sarah would be angry at him for what he was about to do, he couldn't stand it any longer. Toby resolutely marched up the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
"Why did you bring me up here Jareth? Are you wanting to get an early start on the honeymoon?" Sarah asked, coyly teasing her husband.  
  
"While I would like nothing better my love, there are some things that need to be discussed first," he told her.  
  
"What do we need to discuss?"  
  
"We need to discuss your magic dearest,"  
  
"My magic?" At that moment, Sarah's bedroom door burst open and Toby stepped into the room. "Toby!" Sarah exclaimed.  
  
"Sarah, I have to talk to you," Toby said as he grabbed his sister's arm and tried to pull her out of the room.  
  
"Toby, just tell me what's going on. What's wrong with you?"  
  
"You can't stay here Sarah. You can't stay with Jareth," Toby quietly told her.  
  
"Why Toby?" Sarah demanded.  
  
"Because it's dangerous,"  
  
"How am I in danger with my husband?"  
  
"I'd rather tell you outside," he urged, still trying to tug her out the door.  
  
"You'll tell me now," she told him in a voice that left no room for discussion.  
  
Toby sighed and reluctantly said, "Remember those stories you used to tell me when I was younger? About the Goblin King? I think that Jareth is the King of the Goblins." Toby knew that Sarah would probably yell at him for making such accusations, but he also knew that he could not keep quiet. Sarah did not know what to think about her brother's accusation. She threw a glance at her husband who came and knelt in front of the little boy.  
  
"Toby, my lad, I am what you say. Ten years ago, when you were just a babe, I took you to my castle beyond my Goblin City and was prepared to make you one of my goblins unless your brave, fearless sister here could save you. She defeated me and my Labyrinth and brought you back home. Now, your sister is my wife and the new Queen of the Goblins. Soon she and I will be returning to my kingdom in the Underground," Jareth explained.  
  
"Will I ever see her again?" Toby asked his Majesty as he looked back and forth between Sarah and Jareth, his eyes full of worry.  
  
"Of course you will. You can come see us any time you want and we can return just as easily," Jareth assured him.  
  
"How?"  
  
"With this," Jareth said and conjured a crystal out of thin air and handed it to the child, "When you need it, you'll know how to use it. Now, I need a moment alone with my wife before we leave."  
  
Toby nodded and after embracing his sister and brother-in-law, he left the room with the crystal held tightly in his grasp.  
  
"Now my dear, as I was saying before, we need to discuss your magic. When I placed this ring on your hand, you received all of the same powers that I have. You see, no marriage could survive that type of division; therefore, we had to become equals. The jewels on your ring are pieces of the crystals that I use for my magic. They will give you the ability to perform any magic you wish," he explained.  
  
Sarah nodded her head in understanding and after a minute asked, "Are you ready to go home?"  
  
"Yes darling. Let's go home," Jareth said and before he could transport them to the Underground, Sarah giggled and used her own magic. Jareth looked around in surprise to see that he and his new bride were standing in his throne room. 


	7. I present to you your Queen

A/N: So it comes down to this... This is the last chapter of A NEW OFFERING. Read on to find out how it ends. ~ IrethAnwarunya  
  
Chapter 7: "I present to you your Queen"  
  
"What can I say? I'm a fast learner," she said with a smile.  
  
"You did very well my love," he congratulated her and then he kissed her passionately.  
  
"Welcome back your Majesties," a voice came from the doorway.  
  
"Salereon, come meet my wife. Darling, this is Salereon. He's my chamberlain and oversees everything in the castle," Jareth introduced Sarah to the elderly goblin that bowed before them. "Salereon, I want all of my subjects assembled so that I may make the announcement of my marriage. I want them gathered here in an hour," the Goblin King ordered.  
  
"Yes your Majesty," Salereon bowed and retreated out of the room.  
  
Jareth snapped his fingers and two petite elves, no more than three and a half feet tall looking no older than her brother Toby, appeared in the throne room and bowed before the King and Queen. "Sarah dear, this is Kathandrienne and Killianeson. They will be your attendants,"  
  
"Come your Majesty. We've come to prepare you for the presentation," the blond haired elf said to Sarah.  
  
"I'll see you soon darling. I have some things to attend to, but I'll be along shortly," Jareth told her as the small duo began to lead her out of the room.  
  
"I'm Kathandrienne your Majesty and this is my sister Killianeson," the blond said and pointed to the red haired elf as they walked down a long corridor, "We are glad that you finally decided to return to the Underground. His Majesty has been very distraught ever since you left all those years ago."  
  
"I know,"  
  
"His Majesty loves you very much," Killianeson told Sarah as the trio entered a large room. Sarah was amazed at the cavernous size of the lavender colored room and she stared in awe at the wall of mirrors and the closets full of dresses.  
  
"What room is this?" she asked her attendants.  
  
"This is the Queen's dressing room your Majesty. Through that door is the King's dressing room, through there is the royal baths, and that door opens into the royal bedchamber," Kathandrienne replied.  
  
Sarah took a glimpse into the royal baths and her jaw dropped when she saw the steam rising from the swimming pool sized tub sunk into the floor. While the thought of a luxurious bath was enticing, Sarah knew that she needed to get ready. But, she couldn't resist quickly peeking into the room that she would be sharing with her husband. She opened the heavy wooden door and was once again astonished by the size of the room. The room was decorated in a way that could be considered neither feminine or masculine, while Jareth and her dressing rooms were just the opposite with her chambers being soft and pastel and Jareth's being dark and manly. Instead, the stone walls were adorned by elaborately woven tapestries and the large windows allowed plenty of light to filter through.  
  
"Come on your Majesty. We don't have much time," Killianeson told her and ushered her back into the lavender dressing room before Sarah could fully take in her surroundings. Killianeson sat her down and began taking Sarah's wealth of chocolate brown hair out of the elegant up-do it had been in for her wedding.  
  
Killianeson deft fingers quickly wove a complex and intricate braid in Sarah's hair that trailed down to a mass of sienna curls that cascaded over her left shoulder and after applying a shimmering powder to Sarah's cheekbones and eyes, Killianeson led her Majesty to the closet where her sister Kathandrienne waited.  
  
"Now my lady, which would you like?" Kathandrienne asked as she pulled several beautiful gowns from the massive closet.  
  
"I can't choose! They're all so gorgeous!" Sarah said as she tenderly fingered the delicate fabric of the dresses before her.  
  
"Very well," Kathandrienne said and replaced all but one of the gowns. The one that remained was a stunning emerald green that was extremely low cut in both the front and the back, but despite Sarah's protest at showing so much skin, Kathandrienne and Killianeson forced her into it. Once a spectacular jeweled necklace and earrings adorned her neck and ears, Kathandrienne and Killianeson led Sarah out into the hallway and told her that his Majesty would be along shortly.  
  
Jareth's heart nearly stopped when he saw his new wife standing in the hallway. She quite literally took his breath away with her beauty and he forced himself to take the few remaining steps that stood between them.  
  
"Are you ready to go meet your subjects my love?" he asked as he took her arm and escorted her through their castle.  
  
"I guess so," she replied. "Jareth, will we be standing before assemblies like this very often? How often do your royal duties interfere with your personal life?"  
  
"Not that often, my love. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because I want you all to myself and I don't want anything to take you away from me," she answered and kissed him tenderly.  
  
"Don't worry yourself about that darling. I'm never letting you get away from me again," he assured her. "Now, let's present you to the people," and Jareth opened a pair of glass doors and they stepped out onto a balcony together. Sarah could not believe how many goblins, dwarves, elves, faeries, and other various creatures she could not yet name were gathered below. Her eyes roamed the throng of subjects and she saw Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus, who sat atop his faithful steed, Ambrosius, were at the very front of the crowd and she smiled when the trio waved to her.  
  
"As all you remember, ten years ago, a young girl traveled my Labyrinth and despite all of the terrible things that we threw at her, she prevailed," Jareth began speaking to the multitude, "She defeated my Labyrinth and refused me as well. All of you know that I had fallen deeply in love with this girl and how I have longed to have her back here with me. I am here to tell you, that girl that refused me so many years ago now stands at my side as my wife. She and I will rule the Underground together and I expect everyone to obey her as they obey me. So now, I present to you your Queen, Queen Sarah."  
  
Sarah could not believe the cheer that resounded through the Goblin City as all of her new subjects bowed to her in the streets. Jareth took Sarah's hand and intertwined their fingers as he smiled at her.  
  
"Are you happy dearest?" he asked. Sarah could not reply because she could form no words adequate to describe how happy she was. As she leaned over and kissed her husband, another cheer sounded throughout the city.  
  
"Welcome home my love," Jareth said and then he swept Sarah off her feet and with a sly grin, he transported them to their bedroom.  
  
Goblin parties raged on throughout the night, celebrating and toasting to the happiness of the King and Queen, faeries weaved extra magic on the gardens around the castle to make the flowers more beautiful for the Queen, and the castle staff ran around in a frenzy making sure things would be perfect for the reception to be held the following evening. The inhabitants of the Underground were overjoyed and none of them minded taking a break from their day to day activities and the goblins didn't even mind taking a night off from their usual troublemaking and baby-snatching to join in the merriment and delight.  
  
But what no one in the Underground noticed, was that they were being watched by a pair of malevolent eyes that burned green with hatred, a pair of eyes that had been watching them very closely through a crystal ball of their own. "You'll pay for this Jareth," Xanthea cried out. "If you think I'll let you be happy with your Queen, you're in for a nightmare from which you will not awaken," she said out loud to no one in particular. With an evil chuckle, Princess Xanthea began plotting her revenge.  
  
A/N: So... how did you like it? As you can see, happily ever after doesn't last as long as we hope. There will be other stories and other characters, but I think we owe Jareth and Sarah a little time together before the mayhem begins, don't you? Hope you guys enjoyed A NEW OFFERING. Thanks for sticking with me through my first fan fiction and I hope to hear your thoughts. Send me some reviews please! Namarie melloneamin. ~ IrethAnwarunya 


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